Letters

LETTERS

Mike Preston's column of March 28 ["20 years have moved the city beyond the Colts"] compelled me to write.

Despite never having had the privilege of living in Baltimore, I have been one of the tens of thousands, perhaps millions, of die-hard Colts fans throughout the country since the 1950s.

Our affection and admiration for all of the Colts heroes has never diminished. We shared Baltimore's anger and anguish in 1984, but do not blame the people of Indianapolis nor the outstanding coaches and players of the current Colts.

Preston's comments were among the first in your newspaper to strike a mean-spirited and nasty note regarding those of us who still root for the horseshoes, blue and white.

I'll wager there are many folks in Baltimore who openly cheer for Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. And there is certainly no reason to attack the great Indianapolis fans and the city where they continue to vigorously support the franchise.

Mark Wells Monument, Colo.

Real Colts fans will never move on

Mike Preston needs to understand those of us who were here before the Colts and after the Colts will never move on.

The Irsay family took away a part of Baltimore, part of our hearts, part of our childhood. We loved that team and what the players stood for.

For real Baltimore Colts fans, nothing the Ravens have done or will do will make it any easier to move on. I and many of my friends in town and out of town will always root for the Indy Irsays to lose and never make it to the Super Bowl.

Sam Cimino Baltimore

Ravens dropping ball with a weak offseason

The Ravens may be at the top of the list when it comes to drafting college talent, but their abysmal track record of offseason acquisitions and free-agent player evaluations has left a lot to be desired.

This year, with almost $25 million of available salary cap money, the Ravens have yet to make a single free-agent move. Signing players "on the cheap" has been their modus operandi.

For once, Ravens fans would like to see their home team employ a diversified professional offense. Jamal Lewis cannot carry this team single-handedly forever.

Why is it that other NFL teams are able to acquire unheralded receivers who actually get open and catch the ball consistently? And why is it that Ravens management historically has been unable to properly evaluate the quarterback and wide receiver positions?

How much longer must we wait for Brian Billick and Ozzie Newsome to establish a credible passing game that has been widely considered to be the laughingstock of the NFL?

Morton Marcus Baltimore

Thomson's columns enjoyable, interesting

I am writing to say how much I enjoy reading Candus Thomson's outdoors column.

The amazing thing to me is I have not fished in about 40 years, and even though I have fired rifles in the long-ago past, I have never hunted.